Hobbit Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 Yeah, my ramshorn snail unrolled… I didn’t see it happen so I have no idea how. Maybe it got wedged in the sponge filter’s uplift tube and unrolled itself as it forced its way out? I had NO idea this could happen and it’s kind of terrifying! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWilson Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 Oh dear! I didn’t even know that could happen either. I hope it’s ok… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 On 9/30/2021 at 9:23 PM, Hobbit said: Yeah, my ramshorn snail unrolled… I didn’t see it happen so I have no idea how. Maybe it got wedged in the sponge filter’s uplift tube and unrolled itself as it forced its way out? I had NO idea this could happen and it’s kind of terrifying! What is your TDS and your pH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowells Fish Lab Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 I saw this once too, though the snail was dead when I found it. I immediately took to google to find out why and all I found were a bunch of forum post responses saying that it's impossible. Certainly doesn't seem so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 (edited) 😳 that is incredible. I had no idea they could do this either. The unrolling in and of itself should not be harmful. I would wonder if there was enough calcium and magnesium (they cannot properly utilize the calcium in shell formation and hardening without it) that it would be pliable enough to do this. Please keep us posted if you find the cause I would love to learn why. I just noticed the hornwort in your picture @ Torrey gave me the info that hornwort will suck calcium from the water like crazy. Edited October 1, 2021 by Guppysnail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 This snail just got moved inside from outdoor tubs that were VERY low in calcium/magnesium, buffer, and pH, despite a ton of crushed oyster shell and some wonder shells, too. (Not sure about the TDS.) Remarkably, the snails’ shells all look really good. No pockmarks or stripes. This is the first snail I’ve seen with any visible shell issues (out of probably a thousand). Not saying their shells aren’t weak—just that I’ve had snails look worse in “better” water. Here’s another snail that came from the same place: The tank they got moved into is actually higher in calcium, magnesium, and buffer, but it hasn’t been there for long. I also did a quarantine dose of paracleanse and ich-x a few days ago. Perhaps that softened the shell? Or whatever holds the shell together? The good news is it seems to be doing okay! It’s munching biofilm off the airline tube this morning. Oh and that plant isn’t hornwort, it’s…. Something else. 😄 But there was a lot of hornwort and anacharis in the outdoor tubs. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/1/2021 at 11:01 AM, Hobbit said: that plant isn’t hornwort, it’s…. Something else. 😄 But there was a lot of hornwort and anacharis in the outdoor tubs That plant looks an awful lot like my milfoil... or what we think is milfoil. Under the right lights, mine will start to turn a burgundy/red, which makes me wonder if it's actually parrot feather🤔 I suspect that the combination of low calcium and magnesium due to the hornwort in the outside tubs, followed by the meds, compounded by the snail getting stuck, allowed for your incredibly unique looking snail. He actually reminds me of the cartoon grey guy in the underwater kid's cartoon (I am horrible with names) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/1/2021 at 10:37 PM, Torrey said: That plant looks an awful lot like my milfoil... or what we think is milfoil. Under the right lights, mine will start to turn a burgundy/red, which makes me wonder if it's actually parrot feather🤔 I suspect that the combination of low calcium and magnesium due to the hornwort in the outside tubs, followed by the meds, compounded by the snail getting stuck, allowed for your incredibly unique looking snail. He actually reminds me of the cartoon grey guy in the underwater kid's cartoon (I am horrible with names) This guy? Squidward. My nephews favorite cartoon was sponge bob square pants when he was younger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 Milfoil seems right! It’s pretty, whatever it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 (edited) @Hobbit has accidently invented a new kind of ramshorn snail. Quick! Breed it! It looks like something from Whoville! Edited October 2, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.K.Luterman Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 That's crazy! I didn't know that was possible! Maybe it has some sort of deformity that just caused the shell to grow like that, rather than unrolling a normal shell? Since all the other snails from that tub look fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 That's terrifying. But I'd 100% buy a bunch, breed them, and keep them on my desk for giggles if they bred true! I agree that a deformity is more likely than the shell just unrolling. Ramshorn shells are so thin I can't imagine it being manipulated without falling apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/1/2021 at 9:32 PM, Guppysnail said: This guy? Squidward. My nephews favorite cartoon was sponge bob square pants when he was younger. Yes!!!! The snail makes me think of Squidward! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 Hahaha well I think I would have noticed if he started out like that. I’ve only had snails in this tank for a week, so it’s not like he was a tiny snail that I didn’t notice until now. While I’m sure there’s a market for this kind of snail, I wouldn’t want anyone to purposefully grow snails with weak shells and try to unroll them. That seems cruel. 😢 But after a few months, if I find any snail babies that look like this, I’ll definitely let you all know, and we can all think of a name for this new subtype of ramshorns! 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/1/2021 at 12:01 PM, Hobbit said: Perhaps that softened the shell? Or whatever holds the shell together? I don’t think the shell will soften like that, then firm up in a new position. Almost certainly a deformity, but it could be genetic and heritable. As long as it’s not linked to a shorter lifespan or inability to get food (which doesn’t seem to be the case), I would try to,breed it, too. On 10/2/2021 at 9:48 AM, H.K.Luterman said: That's crazy! I didn't know that was possible! Maybe it has some sort of deformity that just caused the shell to grow like that, rather than unrolling a normal shell? Since all the other snails from that tub look fine. Yep, agreed. On 10/2/2021 at 12:37 PM, Chris said: That's terrifying. But I'd 100% buy a bunch, breed them, and keep them on my desk for giggles if they bred true! I agree that a deformity is more likely than the shell just unrolling. Ramshorn shells are so thin I can't imagine it being manipulated without falling apart. Yep, breed it! Let’s see what happens. Find another pretty red one or a pink and have them make babies. I want to see if an open spiral is heritable in ramshorns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/2/2021 at 2:52 PM, Odd Duck said: I don’t think the shell will soften like that, then firm up in a new position. Almost certainly a deformity, but it could be genetic and heritable. As long as it’s not linked to a shorter lifespan or inability to get food (which doesn’t seem to be the case), I would try to,breed it, too. Yep, agreed. Yep, breed it! Let’s see what happens. Find another pretty red one or a pink and have them make babies. I want to see if an open spiral is heritable in ramshorns. Agreed! A new line of Squidward rams 🥰 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 On 10/2/2021 at 3:43 PM, Hobbit said: Hahaha well I think I would have noticed if he started out like that. I’ve only had snails in this tank for a week, so it’s not like he was a tiny snail that I didn’t notice until now. While I’m sure there’s a market for this kind of snail, I wouldn’t want anyone to purposefully grow snails with weak shells and try to unroll them. That seems cruel. 😢 But after a few months, if I find any snail babies that look like this, I’ll definitely let you all know, and we can all think of a name for this new subtype of ramshorns! 😀 He probably got some sort of injury that caused the shell to start growing more open. But it could also be a genetic defect. It might not have been as obvious when he was smaller or it may not have manifested until his shell reached a certain radius. It doesn’t look like the shell is thin, it looks like normal texture and I’m not going to ask you to press on it to test it just in case it IS softer than normal. No need for squishing Squidward! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 7, 2021 Author Share Posted October 7, 2021 Squidward has a boy+girlfriend this morning! 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanish Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 On 10/2/2021 at 2:43 PM, Hobbit said: after a few months, if I find any snail babies that look like this, I’ll definitely let you all know, and we can all think of a name for this new subtype of ramshorns! Goatshorn, obviously. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 On 10/7/2021 at 5:43 AM, Hobbit said: Squidward has a boy+girlfriend this morning! 😍😍😍 On 10/7/2021 at 7:23 AM, Vanish said: Goatshorn, obviously. 🤣🤣🤣 (ORD) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted December 6, 2021 Author Share Posted December 6, 2021 An update on Squidward: they have their own bowl now, along with one friend snail. And now that Squidward is a little bigger it looks like their shell is actually growing in an unrolled shape, rather than having been pushed out of shape somehow. Hopefully that means I’ll get some Goatshorn babies!! 😄 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Wow Squidward has grown quick! He is so adorable 😍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 This is so neat. He's living art! It would be interesting if the babies expressed the same qualities. Glad they got their own bowl. He is very cute. 💚 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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